Gaps in the 2010 measles SIA coverage among migrant children in Beijing: Evidence from a parental survey

China suffers from high incidence of measles partly due to high population mobility and low vaccination rates among migrants. In this study, we assessed the vaccination coverage of the nationwide measles supplementary immunization activity (SIA) of 2010 and its determinants among migrant children in Beijing. Information was collected through face-to-face interviews with the caregivers of 589 migrant children at train and long-distance bus stations in January 2011, when migrants were traveling home for the Chinese New Year holiday. We estimated that 83.4% of migrant children aged 8 months to 14 years received the measles vaccine during the SIA. This estimated coverage is lower than the official report of 96% among all eligible children in Beijing. Factors associated with being unvaccinated through the SIA included children being at home or in the kindergarten, living in a single-child family, and having a parent who was unaware of the SIA or who had a low level of trust in the government-administered measles campaign. We recommend more focused targeting on migrant children in future measles vaccination campaigns, improved immunization service delivery in unregulated migrant-run kindergartens and at the community level, as well as development of more effective communication methods to reach disadvantaged migrants.

► We estimated the vaccination coverage of the 2010 measles SIA among migrant children in Beijing, China.
► 83.4% of migrant children received the measles vaccine during the SIA, lower than the official estimate of 96%.
► Factors associated with being unvaccinated through the SIA were children being at home or in the kindergarten, living in a single-child family, and having a parent who was unaware of the SIA or who had a low level of trust in the government-administered measles campaign.
► Focused targeting on migrant children in future SIAs, better kindergarten and community-level service delivery, and more effective communication methods are recommended to improve vaccination coverage for migrant children.